Transportation Officials Send Water Tank Over 200 Miles To Help Tucker County Amid Drought

As a prolonged drought continues to threaten farms across West Virginia, state officials are getting creative to ensure that communities have enough water for the summer season.

This week, that meant supplying the Tucker County town of Thomas with a 5,000 gallon tank of non-potable water from Huntington — transporting it roughly 220 miles out of a city experiencing less severe conditions.

The West Virginia Department of Transportation (WVDOT) announced the completion of the effort on Friday, and said it came in response to Gov. Jim Justice’s July 26 state of emergency declaration over the drought for all 55 counties.

The United States Drought Monitor has classified the current dry spell in Thomas as an “extreme drought.” Tucker County is part of the eastern region of the state that has been hardest hit by the drought conditions.

High levels of iron in the town’s water supply have rendered current non-drinking water resources unusable, Thomas Mayor Jody Flanagan said in the Friday press release.

“This is the lowest our dam and reservoir have been in 60 years,” Flanagan said.

The water tank was trucked to Thomas by drivers from Charleston, and was placed at the town’s fire department for community access to use for washing, flushing toilets, etc., according to a Friday WVDOT press release. City officials have secured drinking water for to town through other sources. A representative for the City of Thomas confirmed that the city received the tank by Thursday afternoon.

“This demonstrates the teamwork and determination of the WVDOH employees across the state to serve our citizens,” said Secretary of Transportation Jimmy Wriston in the press release.